The Government has announced a SAT$1.08 billion Budget for 2023/2024 with the Ministry of Health getting the largest slice of the pie followed by the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture. 

The new financial year's budget is $134 million higher than the last budget brought down by the current Government. 

The biggest funding boost goes to the Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development with their budget going up $14 million, mainly to cater for the Government's $1 million District Development Project which will be continued in the new financial year.

Minister for Finance, Mulipola Anarosa Ale–Molioo announced in Parliament on Tuesday that the 2023/2024 Main Estimates laid before the House is expected to record a cash deficit of approximately $185.7 million which is equivalent to a Net Lending requirement of $88.1 million under the Government's Financial System or 3.3 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product.

“Total receipts for the Government is expected to increase by 12 per cent in the new fiscal year 2023/2024 which will be driven up primarily by ordinary receipts,” Mulipola said. “I would like to emphasise that the projected increase in taxes is attributed solely to the anticipation of increased economic activity driven by Government spending and a recovering global economy but in no way does it indicate any increased tax rates.

“The increase in expenditures for the new fiscal year is a testament to the Government’s commitment to raise its spending in order to drive recovery and restore economic growth."

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries receives $19.9 million, which is a light increase of around $300,000 from last year. The Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa (S.R.O.S.) receives $5.8 million while the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (M.C.I.L.) gets $18.9 million which is a drop of almost $2 million from last year.

With a busy tourism period anticipated, the Samoa Tourism Authority (S.T.A.) gets $7.2 million while the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (M.C.I.T.) receives $11.6 million. 

The Office of the Regulator receives $3.8 million while the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture (M.E.S.C.) gets a $7 million increase with a new budgetary allocation of $139.2 million.

Samoa Qualifications Authority (S.Q.A.) is all set to get $6.9 million while the Samoa Sports Facility Authority has been allocated $3.6 million and the National University of Samoa (N.U.S.) receiving $30.9 million.

The Ministry of Finance (M.O.F.) budget gets an increase of $10 million to boost its budgetary allocation to $114.4 million, of this $20 million is for C.H.O.G.M. 2024 preparations, $3 million for the Concessional Financing Facility through the Development Bank of Samoa for businesses to prepare for C.H.O.G.M. while $33.4 million has been allocated for the Senior Citizens Pension Scheme, with $2 million for the Disability Benefit Package and $1 million for the Government's forensic audit project.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (M.F.A.T.) receives $27.2 million while the Ministry of Health gets a whopping $146.5 million which has increased by $6 million from the previous year.

A total of $1.6 million has been set aside for returning graduates (doctors/nurses), $5 million for the Overseas Medical Treatment Scheme, $3 million for the Medical Specialist Clinic, $1 million for district hospital refurbishments and another $1 million for rural doctors’ residences.

The National Kidney Foundation receives $10.9 million while the Ministry of Justice and Courts Administration gets $15.6 million. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (M.N.R.E.) will get $29.3 million and the Ministry of Police, Prisons and Corrections Services gets $55.7 million, which is an increase of almost $4 million.

This was the second reading of the Budget on Tuesday, with the Government's money plan being referred to the Finance and Expenditure Committee before it is debated in the House and goes up for a vote.

Budget allocations for other Government ministries:

Fire and Emergency Services Authority - $13.9 million

Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet - $9.6 million

Ministry for Customs and Revenue - $13.4 million

Ministry for Women, Community and Social Development - $64.8 million

Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure - $42.8 million

Land Transport Authority - $42.6 million

Office of the Attorney General - $5.8 million

Office of the Auditor General - $4.5 million

Office of the Electoral Commissioner - $4.3 million

Office of the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly - $8.2 million

Office of the Ombudsman - $17 million

Public Service Commission - $10.5 million

Samoa Bureau of Statistics - $5.8 million

Law Reform Commission - $1.5 million

Ministry for Public Entreprises - $7.8 million